Tips for Choosing a K-12 School for Your Child

Choosing the right institution where your child will spend his or her primary as well as secondary education is paramount. However, how do you determine whether or not you’re choosing the right school? Let us look at some of the factors to consider when choosing a K-12 institution for your child.

high school students with their teacher

Start With a Thorough Research

For starters, research about the different schools in your locality. Find out about what’s being offered in each school. For instance, does the school of choice have higher test scores compared to other schools? Besides that, does the school go the extra mile by providing additional help to students that need it? On the other hand, does the school provide opportunities for gifted students?

library

How about extra-curricular activities? Does the school offer afterschool activities such as sports or arts? Moreover, you should also have an idea of the available facilities in the school. For instance, check if the school has a library where students can study. It is also important for a school to have a cafeteria that serves healthy meals.

elementary students with their teacherSafety & Security

Next, you need to ensure that school has top-notch security because you do not want to have unnecessary worries every time your child is in school. Find out whether or not the school has any history of violence, including bullying, harassment, or any other kind of abusive behavior. Moreover, find out how the school deals with violence.

Reputation

One more important factor to consider is the school’s reputation. Check the official site of the school for testimonials left by other parents. If you can find a third-party review site or a public online forum pertaining to the school, then spend some time reading the comments so that you gain unbiased information about the school.

Location

Although this is not the deciding factor, it will be to your advantage if you choose a school that has a strategic location. Of course, you would want a school that is near your residence so that your child will not have to spend a significant amount of traveling to school. If there’s no school near your residence, then put an emphasis on factors such as the transportation system being offered by the school. For instance, find out whether or not the school offers bus services. If your child has special transportation needs, then you need to consider it as well.…